KI: Requiem of Paradise
by brawlingwolf
Summary: It was a deal struck long ago for the sake of the world Palutena protected, and Pit accepted his fate without question. His brother, however, won't go so quietly, even if it means putting his life- and the world- at risk. An AU story based on the "Synchronicity" series. No pairings intended.
1. Part I

It was always painful to see, the same scene every so often: Medusa had broken her toy beyond repair, and it was up to Palutena to replace it. She watched in silence as several of her soldiers took the young angel's lifeless body away, treating it with care she had never experienced when she had been alive. Her skin was bruised and bloody, and it was apparent that she bore several fractured bones. Her body would be cremated, her ashes released into the wind for the world to bear witness to. The cycle would continue, one sacrifice made to protect the world from the dark goddess's wrath. The goddess of light was not fond of the arrangement, but she had little other choice than to let her world be destroyed.

And so, she swallowed her grief as her soldiers left to seize the new servant that would appease Medusa. Oh, his parents protested greatly, his father fought, his mother cried out for mercy, but they would not waver.

After all, it was for the good of the world.

Now, Palutena watched the young angel carefully, masking herself in optimism and joy as she told him of his new role. He returned her gaze with wide blue eyes, his brown hair tousled beyond help, his small white wings twitching. He couldn't have been more than five years old, brimming with life and glee.

"Welcome to your new home, Pit," she said to him, her heart twisting at the innocent trust that shone in his eyes. "You have a new duty to perform. Do you understand?" He nodded. "You will be alone," she continued, forcing herself to sound light and cheerful. "No one will come to help you. You will not stop. If you feel tired, you will push through it. If you're in pain, you will persevere. And you will always smile. Understand?"

"Okay," he replied in a small, squeaky voice. "I understand." But she knew he didn't. Not truly. Children, even angels, were so easily manipulated. If she didn't sound worried, then he wouldn't be. If she sounded like she was leading him to a bright and enjoyable future, that's what he would believe. He would never anticipate the hell he was about to endure.

All for the good of the world.

It always made her feel sick, knowing how quickly the light in his eyes would fade, how he would learn to stifle his tears and screams. He would bear it with a smile, just as every one before him had.

Until they simply could bear no more.

But that's what he would endure until his last breath, as per her bargain with Medusa. The goddess of darkness would do as she pleased, exercising little restraint as she and her monsters toyed with him. He would pray and plead for peace, for her grace, for the good of the world. She would comply, but only as long as she could in turn aim her dark power against him. And when he finally fell, drew his last breath, could stand no longer, another would take his place. That was their bargain, and Palutena had no way of changing it. As far as anyone was concerned, the cycle was continue.

But, even she hadn't considered that this little angel named Pit had a brother. It wasn't unheard of that their chosen servant had a sibling, and said siblings had either not known of their fate or deemed it impossible to do anything to stop it. They were taught the same as the servants: What they did was for the good of the world.

But this boy wouldn't be so quick to listen.

He'd been playing in the gardens with Pit, racing around the bushes and flowers as they looked for something to chase.

"Wait for me!" Pit had called, and he had stopped long enough to see the soldiers arrive, deliver an order to their parents, and immediately capture the brown-haired angel. He'd asked them time and time again where they were going with his brother, but they'd ignored him and taken Pit away with no explanation. It wasn't until their mother had calmed down enough that she had, through her sobs, told him that Pit had been chosen as a servant of the goddesses. He would fulfill an important role that would protect the world they lived in and allow peace to continue to reign.

But he knew there was something more to the story that he wasn't being told. As he'd grown older, he'd heard whispers of those servants, the rumors of what they endured in their positions, their notoriously short life spans. And all the while, he'd fought against everyone and everything that tried to hold him back, to tell him he must comply with the goddesses, to behave himself, to conform to everything he was meant to. He was to forget his brother, act like he'd never existed, live his life as if he were an only child.

He didn't listen, and his actions bore their consequences. He'd been branded an outcast, all but cursed with dark wings and red eyes that seemed to fit naturally with his black hair. Those around him teased him with a nickname meaning "dark" or "black."

"Kuro!" they jeered, perhaps a pun on his name, perhaps just coincidence. He didn't care, and eventually just took the name as his own. If that's what the world saw him as, then so be it.

Shortly after his sixteenth birthday, he took up a pair of short swords and packed lightly as he set out, not caring what he would encounter or what threats to his life he would face. Pit was out there somewhere in the world he was supposedly protecting, and Kuro promised he would find him. He looked up to the sunlit, nearly cloudless sky above him as he crossed the fields, alone save his shadow cast on the grass. His dark wings rustled in the breeze as he wandered on, hoping that someone, somewhere, would be able to tell him where to find this goddess of darkness.

And when he found her, he would end her without a second thought.

He stopped and looked up once again, hoping, praying, that he wasn't too late, that he would find his brother alive. He stopped and took a deep breath.

"Wait for me," he mumbled, and his gaze trailed to what appeared to be a town in the distance, a castle of some sort jutting up from the surrounding homes and villages. He smirked a bit. Perhaps the goddess of nature would be kind enough to inform him of the whereabouts of his target, the fate of his twin, and how he could stop it. His swords hung in a sheath on his hip, their weight informing him of just what it would take to save a doomed servant from his fate.


	2. Part II

The stone floor was icy against Pit's bare feet as he made his way to the center of the room, the cave, whatever it was he was in. He could barely remember the last time he'd seen true sunlight, had a decent meal, gotten a good night's sleep. But he never complained, just as he'd been instructed eleven years previous.

He was now dressed in a white robe clasped over his right shoulder, leaving the left side of his chest and his arm exposed. He tied a brown belt around his waist and wore black pants that came down to his ankles, and a golden laurel crown was nestled among the brown locks of his hair.

He knelt down and bowed, resting his arms out in front of him with his face nearly brushing the ground. It was then that she spoke.

"Well, well, Pit." Her voice was dark, dripping with venom as the serpents in her hair hissed at him. "You look well, today." Pure lies, but he took the words at face value: one of the few strategies he had to maintain his orders. If and when he saw his reflection, he ignored how pale his skin looked, told himself it was because he hadn't seen the sun in so long. He overlooked how thin he was, the bluish-purplish discoloration that marked his cheekbone and several places on his arm, the pain that spiked through his foot whenever he took a step.

"Thank you, great goddess," he replied in a small voice. She had forbidden him from speaking her name, and he dared not say anything out of line. Several misshapen monsters floated and lumbered around the perimeter of the room, waiting for an order from their mistress, but she refrained from giving it. For now.

"Well, then, what are you waiting for?" she inquired. "Come. Entertain me." He looked up at her, but he did not see the façade of beauty she had first presented herself with when he'd begun his task as a servant of the goddesses. Now, her face had a sickly dark brown, wrinkled look to it, and she watched him through a single, large, red eye. She had no reason to present herself any differently to him: He knew what would happen if he said anything that wasn't to her liking.

He took a deep breath and stood, ignoring the spike of pain that drove itself through his foot. And as she watched him, resting her head against her hand with a small but deadly smile on her face, he lifted his voice and moved as best he could. Something told him that he'd never truly master any art of dance, especially with a handicapped foot, but he continued on. Pain was nothing, weariness was pointless. No one would come to help him. Those were the lessons that he'd been taught, and he knew nothing else.

He pleaded for her kindness and mercy, praised her for the compassion she'd shown the earth, and offered his prayers on its behalf. He prayed for peace, for prosperity, for kindness, for understanding. And as long as he continued, his prayers would be heard. Peace would reign, and the world wouldn't be forced to witness Medusa's wrath. Instead, he would take it upon himself.

"Come now, Pit, you can do better than that!" she chastised, despite his best efforts to push through his injury. Panic shot through his body as she nodded for her monsters to mobilize. He swallowed and smiled, picking up his pace and movement as he fought against the pain in his foot that threatened to immobilize his leg. But Palutena's words rang clear in his head, and he fought back the tears that clouded his vision.

A Monoeye's fire struck him in the side, sending a searing pain through his midsection. And Medusa watched with amusement as he continued, pressing on through his exhaustion, fighting the urge to stop and rest, smiling as he forced his tears not to flow. He spread his arms and wings wide, angling his face up, and kept his voice strong as he leapt forth to dodge another blast courtesy of a Mik. Despite his best efforts, a short, strangled squeak of pain escaped his throat as he landed on his injured foot, and he stumbled.

"Now, now, Pit. None of that," Medusa scoffed. "Do you really expect me to listen to you when you're not even trying?"

"I am trying!" he argued, but snapped his mouth shut as guilt washed over him. He'd spoken out of line, and, judging by her gaze, she knew it all too well. He swallowed and bowed again, his body trembling. "I… Please, merciful goddess, I beg your forgiveness… That was wrong of me."

"Indeed, it was," she agreed in a low voice. "You know you are not to speak out against me. Get up, you worthless scrap of nothing. Show me that you're worth forgiving."

"Thank you," he said weakly and got back to his feet as ordered. He raised his voice in praise of her, begging her mercy, pleading for her forgiveness, fearing what she would do to him if she decided he wasn't worth it. He continued with the best smile he could muster even as she gave a silent order to her minions.

"Let's see how much you want this," she hissed, and he swallowed. Speaking even a word could seal his fate, and he had to go on without complaint or protest. He pushed through as best he could until he stumbled again, right into a Skuttler's line of fire, and pain again overtook him. He coughed and a warm, rustic, and salty taste made itself known on his tongue as something red splattered in several drops on the stone beneath him. He wiped his mouth and, briefly, gazed in horror as he found the same something on his hand. But he took a deep breath as some other shot hit him, even as his head fogged and his voice weakened, and he continued on.

He made one false move and landed on his injured foot, and his leg buckled under his weight. The stone room spun around him as he collapsed to the ground, and his tears spilled over as everything around him faded to black.

"Aww, isn't that sad," Medusa muttered. "I guess you didn't want it after all." She stood and approached him, prodding his body with her staff.

And, to her surprise, he was still breathing- barely. She smirked and shook her head.

"Hmph. Impressive. You've a very strong will, don't you? I suppose I'll let you live for now."


	3. Part III

With a small pack held tight and slung over his shoulder, Kuro entered the bustling crowds of the town at the forefront of what might as well have been Viridi's palace. Even from a distance, he could see the vines snaking up the sides of her home and the thick wall between her and the rest of the town. It was obvious she didn't like visitors, and he was sure he'd be one of the least welcome of all. Several of her flying forces flitted to and fro around the castle's towers, but they made no move toward the crowds below. He sighed and tucked in his wings as best he could, doing his best to blend in with the people around him. Angels were rare in these parts, and even more so ones that looked like him. He kept his eyes trained forward, and no one seemed to pay any attention to him.

Until, however, he passed a gruff, dark-haired swordsman. As soon as their gazes met, they each swept their eyes over the other and the man smiled.

"Huh. I've heard stories, but I don't think I've ever seen someone like you," he noticed, and Kuro stared at him. "What brings you here?"

"What's it to you?" the angel replied, and the man laughed.

"Hey, hey. I'm just curious. You look like a man with a mission- or rather, a boy. Wondering what you're so intent about."

"I'm going up to see Viridi," Kuro said shortly and continued walking, but the man apparently wasn't done with the conversation. He jogged to catch up and keep pace at his side.

"Is that so? I'm actually waiting for a friend of mine who's up there now. What's your business?"

"None of yours," Kuro rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"I told you. I'm just curious. I'm Magnus." He held his hand out, and Kuro stared at it for a moment before shaking it.

"Kuro," he replied. "What about you? What does your friend need from Viridi?"

"Information," Magnus shrugged. "You heard of the whole situation with the goddess of darkness?" Kuro stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Magnus completely.

"What about her?" Magnus crossed his arms and smirked in amusement.

"You've got something to do with her too, don't you?" Kuro nodded slowly. "Thought so. That look in your eye says it all. Why do you hate her so much?"

"What part of 'none of your business' don't you understand?" Kuro inquired, and Magnus only laughed.

"Well, whatever. You see," he lowered his voice. "I'm going to assume you know about this whole servant cycle." Kuro clenched his jaw and nodded again. "My buddy and I are trying to find a way to end this. It's sick, what with everything I've heard they go through. Not to mention none of them seems to last more than twelve years or so."

"Don't remind me," Kuro grumbled, and Magnus's eyebrows rose.

"Don't remind you of what?" he wondered, but Kuro didn't answer. "Well, whatever. Anyway, my buddy and I are trying to find a way to stop it, like I said. WITHOUT destroying the world in the process."

"Well, good for you," Kuro waved and started on his way again, but Magnus continued to follow. "Look, time isn't exactly on my side, okay? So unless there's something you want, leave me alone." Magnus didn't immediately reply.

"Maybe we'll run into each other again," he called as Kuro walked away from him. "Whatever it is you're after, I bet we'll be meeting the same goal sooner or later." Kuro rolled his eyes again and sighed, making no acknowledgement of the man's words, and returned his attention to Viridi's abode ahead of him as he began to formulate how he would be getting inside. He had a feeling the goddess of nature wouldn't be too keen on seeing him, let alone telling him anything about Medusa. He sighed, wondering how much "persuasion" it would take to get her to talk.

Viridi, indeed, was not one that appreciated unwanted visitors, and she snorted with her arms crossed as a duo of her soldiers tackled an intruder and pinned her against the ground.

"And just what do you think you're doing here, human?" she inquired curtly. "Where'd you come from?" The human, a young woman with wavy blond hair and defiant, driven eyes, looked up at her as best she could when Viridi's soldiers were holding her head against the ground. "What's your name?"

"Gaol," the human replied quickly. "Are you gonna let me up or just keep me here?"

"That'll depend on your other answers," Viridi smiled. "So? Why are you sneaking around here?"

"I want answers," Gaol said through grit teeth. "So tell me: Where do I find the goddess of darkness?!"

"Why does it matter to you?" Viridi inquired, leaning over to face Gaol at a closer range. "Oh, please don't tell me you're one of the idiots that think you can stop her! You're just a human!"

"I don't care!" Gaol argued, struggling against her captors. "This cycle of torture and sacrifice has to stop! It's not right to keep sending someone to die after a short life of suffering."

"And how, pray tell, do you know about that?" Viridi went on, and Gaol stared at her.

"Don't play dumb with me," the human scoffed. "Almost everyone on this earth knows about it. They just pretend it's not true. They're cowards! You all are! If you're so worried about the goddess of darkness, why don't you do something about it?"

"This IS what we're doing about it," Viridi sighed heavily, not in the mood to deal with Gaol's inquiries. "What's one person if the rest of the world is safe?"

"But it's NOT just one person!" Gaol insisted. "How many have died because of this? Because of your cowardice?"

"I am not a coward!" Viridi growled. "You're a fool. A handful of lives or the entire planet? This is for the good of the world." They stared at each other for several moments.

"No, you're just saving your own skin," Gaol accused. "It doesn't affect you directly, so you don't care what happens as long as you're safe." Viridi scowled at her.

"I've got to do what's best for my Children," the goddess replied. "I don't care about some stupid angel." She turned her attention to her soldiers. "Lock her up somewhere. I'll deal with her later." They complied and pulled Gaol to her feet, then pushed and dragged her away as she fought back against them to no avail. Viridi sighed heavily and shook her head with her eyes narrowed. "Moron. You'd really put the life of one pathetic angel over the rest of the world?"

"No," Kuro growled as he held up a blade near her throat, catching her off guard as she briefly squeaked in surprise. "I'd put the life of my brother over the rest of the world. Cowards like you deserve to die, not him!" Viridi held her hands up, but smiled cryptically.

"Guess I should have guessed you'd show up eventually," she muttered. "What is it again? Kuro?"

"Doesn't matter," he spat. "So, if you want to keep your head on your shoulders, then you'd better start telling me what I want to hear."

"Yeah, well…" Viridi shrugged, and before either of them could say anything else, a shot of lightning sped toward the dark angel and he rolled back just before it hit him. He grit his teeth as Viridi retreated and a female warrior took her place with a challenging glint in her purple eyes. Her blond hair was cut relatively short and the ends, more of an orange color, flipped up rather amusingly. She had an electric blue scarf over her shoulders and wore a white, sleeveless shirt and shorts with dark sleeves and stockings. She cracked her fingers and smiled at him.

"Can't believe you got in here without getting caught," she commended. "But you're not laying a hand on Mistress Viridi without me frying you!" Kuro drew his other blade from the scabbard on the back of his belt and held it in a reverse grip in his left hand.

"I'm not leaving without answers," he said in a low voice, then sprung off his back foot as he slashed at her. She dodged and shot another bolt of electricity at him that he barely managed to avoid.

"Then I guess you're not leaving at all," Viridi said sarcastically from her place on the sidelines. "Too bad you won't be able to find your brother! Not that you would have anyway." Kuro turned his fiery glare on her, but his momentary distraction was enough for his opponent to score a clean strike on him that knocked him to the ground in a daze. She held her hand out toward him as it crackled with electricity, but her previous smile had faded as she watched him.

"What about your brother?" she mumbled so only he could hear. "Wait. Is he… Medusa's servant?" Kuro's gaze must have told her everything, and her eyes lost focus as she grit her teeth. "I'm sorry."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Viridi demanded. "Char him! That's an order!" But she still hesitated.

"This has to stop…" Her gaze refocused with bright ferocity as she turned her aim on Viridi. "They're right. This whole cycle is stupid! It has to stop!" Kuro looked up and sprung back to his feet, knocking her to the side as a large, animated rock crashed down and swung a stone fist at him.

"Great timing, Cragalanche," Viridi smirked. Cragalanche did not speak, but turned toward Kuro and the lightning-wielding fighter.

"Come on," she grabbed his wrist and took off out of the room and down the nearest corridor, and he found himself struggling to keep up with his speed. "We're getting out of here!"

Meanwhile, Gaol curled herself into a ball with her knees drawn up against her chest as she sat in a holding room while Viridi's forces decided what to do with her. She sighed heavily and shut her eyes.

"This has to end," she mumbled, unable to bear thinking about what the latest servant was dealing with, whether it was actually still alive, and what would happen if this cycle continued. But could they truly stop the cycle without threatening the world itself? What if the goddess of darkness did unleash her wrath?

She jumped to her feet, shaken from her thoughts as the door suddenly opened to reveal Magnus grinning at her- as much as Magnus could grin, anyway. In one hand, he held a ring of keys, and in the other he held his giant sword with his arm wrapped around the throat of a guard.

"Captured again, eh?" he chuckled. "Come on. Time to go." She smiled and nodded as he tossed her short sword toward her, and she unsheathed it along with a knife hidden up the wrap around her wrist. He threw the guard into the room and locked the door before the duo hurried down the halls. While Magnus used his brute strength to clear the path, Gaol covered his back with quick, light, and deadly strikes.

"Hey!" Magnus called forth, and Gaol looked around him to see a dark angel and what at first appeared to be a teenage girl. "Kuro, right? Told you we'd meet again!" Kuro smirked and nodded.

"Yeah. Excuse me a moment, Magnus." He spun around and slashed one blade through his next assailant as his companion shocked another. "Okay. Less talk, more run. We're getting out of here."

"Follow me," the girl hissed. "You, swordsman! Help me keep the path clear, will you? You two cover us." Kuro was none too pleased to be ordered around, but he complied and fell into step with Gaol as they made their way through Viridi's troops and out of the castle. The remaining troops and their reinforcements began to follow, but Viridi stopped them.

"Enough!" she commanded, and they stopped. "Don't start an uproar in town. That's the last thing we need." She sighed heavily. "Even if they do find Medusa, they don't stand a chance. Fall back! We'll regroup and pursue them later, understood?"

The group of four didn't stop until they'd made it out of town, and as soon as they did, all four were panting heavily and checking themselves for injuries. Kuro pulled a roll of bandages from his pack and wrapped it around a rather nasty cut on his arm, but he was otherwise unharmed, and it seemed Magnus's combat skill had saved them from a worse fate.

"Well, that was fun," Gaol remarked as she looked over several bruises that were forming on her arms. "So, who the heck are you two?"

"Yeah," Kuro turned to the electric fighter. "What's your deal?" She stretched her arms up and rested them behind her head, locking her fingers together.

"Name's Phosphora," she introduced. "You may have heard of me as the Lightning Flash. Mistress Viridi likes to think I'm like some commander in her army, but I don't like being tied down."

"But you attacked me," he pointed out. "Why'd you suddenly turn on her?" The playful glint in her eyes faded.

"Because you're all idiots," she said flatly. "But you've got good intentions." She sighed. "Eleven or so years ago, I saw some soldiers taking Leale's- the last servant's- body somewhere. She looked terrible, beyond being dead. I didn't want to think about what she'd endured." Kuro winced. "I don't want that to happen to anyone else. But it's more or less true: Viridi is set on believing that sacrifices are okay as long as the world's protected. But I hate to think how this'll escalate as time goes on. You human skinbags may not live long enough to see it, but I'll be around a while. And so will you, right?" Kuro shrugged, but nodded.

"So you want to stop this cycle, is that it?" Gaol wondered, and Phosphora nodded as well. "That's what Magnus and I want. So, angel, what's your story? Why are you here?"

"Yeah," Magnus cleared his throat. "You left that part out earlier." Kuro sighed heavily and shut his eyes for a moment.

"I don't have any noble intentions like all of you," he told them. "But I'm not going to rest until Medusa is done for."

"Why is this so important to you?" Gaol wondered, and he opened his eyes.

"Right now, the servant's name is Pit. He's my brother." That piece of information earned him a grunt of surprise from the humans. "That's why it's important to me. I don't even know if he's still alive, but I won't stop until I know for sure one way or the other. If he's still holding on, then I'll save him."

"That's awful," Gaol dipped her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he shrugged. "I just want to get him back. That's it." One by one, the other three nodded.

"Point is we all want to end this for one reason or another," Magnus pointed out. "We all want to stop Medusa, right?" The other three agreed. "Four is better than one or two. It's best if we just stick together." Kuro wasn't sure he liked the idea of being stuck with these three for however long it took for them to find Medusa, but even he had to admit their chances were infinitely greater if they combined their efforts. He couldn't deny Magnus's strength or Phosphora's power, and he could tell Gaol probably had some hidden talents as well.

"Alright," he breathed. "But just remember. I'm doing this for Pit, not for the earth. As soon as I can get him out, I'm leaving."

"Just like that?" Gaol wondered.

"Just like that." She sighed and shrugged.

"Well, you're probably not getting out of there without finishing Medusa off."

"I know," he agreed. "So you probably don't have to worry about me running off." For some reason, Magnus laughed at that remark and threw a punch at Kuro's shoulder.

"Whatever," he said as he regained what composure he had. "Let's find some shelter somewhere and call it a night. We can head out in the morning."

"This'll be fun," Phosphora smiled. "Good luck to all of us, then. Let's get going!"


	4. Part IV

Pit's soft groan echoed around the small crevice he'd been put in, and he opened his eyes slowly. His body refused to respond for several minutes before he finally struggled to sit up, and he hesitated for some time before he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. And, true to his fears, he still found blood there, tasted it on his tongue. He didn't know where it was coming from or why, but he knew he was lucky to be alive.

Or was he?

He would have taken anything, even death, over having to go back out to face Medusa again, which he knew he would have to do soon. He took hold of the feather hanging around his neck and tightened his fist around it as he brought it close to his face, gritting his teeth and bowing his head. Why was he still there? Why hadn't the reapers come to claim him?

Droplets of water fell from his eyes to the stone beneath him as he mumbled a name that he held close to his heart.

Kuro drew his knees up against his chest with his arms rested over them as he absentmindedly watched the flames flicker from afar. While his three companions sat close to the small fire and talked about this and that, he had made his place just next to the tree line of the clearing where they had stopped to make camp. A half moon cast its light among the trees and down on them, and he glanced up to it briefly as he wrapped his fingers gently around the feather hanging from his neck.

Every day, every hour, every minute that passed was another blow to his chances of finding Pit alive, and he was all too aware of it. All he knew about what his brother was experiencing was what he'd heard through rumors, but they all added up to one general idea: The servant suffered, had an agonizingly short life, but was, for some reason, greatly honored in his or her death.

"All for the good of this damned world," he mumbled as he shut his eyes, resting his chin on his arms, and he remained that way for some time.

"You've got a sense of hatred in your heart, don't you?" He looked up to find Gaol suddenly standing next to him. He shrugged and returned his gaze to the fire as he watched it dance, the wood crackling and releasing embers resembling fireflies that floated up to the night sky.

"Maybe," he muttered as she sat down next to him.

"Did you know your brother?" she asked, and he sighed softly.

"For five years, yes," he replied and turned his head to look at her. "You're not going to leave without me telling you my back story, are you?" She smiled a bit.

"I'm greatly curious, Kuro. But if you really don't want to talk about it, I won't force you." His gaze lost focus for a moment.

"Pit and I are twins," he began, turning back toward the fire. "The only difference was that he had our mother's brown hair and I had Dad's black. We both had his blue eyes."

"Your eyes used to be blue?" she wondered, and he nodded.

"Blue eyes and white wings," he elaborated. "I'll get to that in a second. One day, a little after we turned five years old, a handful of soldiers showed up and took him away. Mother said it was because he had some important role to play and he was going to protect the world. But she was crying the entire time she explained it, and I knew even then that something was wrong." He paused. "Then, as I got older, the elders and soldiers kept telling me that I needed to forget Pit, to pretend he never existed, that I had no tie to him. But I fought back." He snorted. "I could never act like Pit was no one to me. I hated them for trying to make me think otherwise, and they threatened to punish me. You can see how they did when they'd finally had enough."

"Your wings and eyes…" she realized, and he nodded.

"I was branded an outcast and rather relentlessly teased and scolded for what I'd become. That's how I got the name 'Kuro.' It means 'black' or 'dark,' from what I understand."

"Wait," Gaol interrupted, "Then what's your real name?" But he remained silent as stone and would not budge on the subject. "Alright, alright. Sorry."

"When I turned sixteen, I left on this journey, I guess. I don't care what it takes. I will find him." They both remained silent for some time.

"I understand," she dipped her head. "But… Kuro, have you considered the consequences of what you could do? Let's say, hypothetically, that you do find him. That you even do manage to get both him and yourself out alive. What about everything else?"

"What about it?"

"Well," she rubbed the back of her neck. "The entire reason Pit is there is because he's keeping Medusa from essentially destroying everyone and everything. If you pull him out of there without either a replacement or finishing her off, then you could be trading the world for your brother." He blinked.

"I don't care," he said rather bluntly, and she stared at him.

"You really don't? I mean… yes, the rest of us want to see you reunite with your brother, but that's not our top priority. We want to stop this in general, but without endangering the earth. And the only way I see that being possible is if we defeat Medusa." She paused. "Sorry. I just… find it hard to believe that anyone could really not care if their world was destroyed."

"This world is the reason Pit was taken from me in the first place!" he snapped, gaining the attention of Magnus and Phosphora from their place by the fire. "Because they're all a bunch of cowards that won't face Medusa themselves. I don't care what happens to them. I just want my brother back. That's it."

"Whoa, whoa!" Magnus held his hands up as he approached them. "Hey, we're doing the best we can. I'll agree that someone should have done something about this a long time ago, but we can't change that. We're-"

"Don't you understand?!" Kuro yelled as he jumped to his feet. "My brother might be DEAD right now! That's why he's all I care about. You may want to stop Medusa, and that's great. But all I'm worried about is getting Pit away from her." He clenched his fists and glared at Magnus, breathing heavily.

"I get that," Magnus nodded. "But- Never mind. If that's the way you think, then I'm not gonna waste my breath arguing with you." He turned back toward the fire, and Kuro relaxed his shoulders a bit.

"Whatever your reason, you'll still have to face Medusa," Gaol pointed out. "She's not going to let him go without a fight."

"I know," Kuro breathed. "And I'll gladly end her if that's what it takes." He uncurled his fingers and sighed heavily. "Look… er… I'm sorry, okay? The further I go, the more I worry. I keep hearing other rumors that could all be true. I realize more and more that Pit is probably already dead."

"Don't worry, Kuro," Gaol rested her hand on his shoulder for a moment. "I have every intention of helping you get Pit back, alright? Don't think we don't care about that. Well, me and Magnus, anyway. I don't know about Phosphora." He snorted and smirked.

"Who knows?" he agreed. "Well, whatever. We should get going at first light. I'm gonna try to sleep."

"Sounds like a good idea," she nodded. "Hope your dreams are peaceful." He returned the nod. "Good night." With that, she returned to the fire and he laid down against the ground and pulled his blanket over his body, turned away from the fires as he gazed into the dark trees before sleep overtook him.


	5. Part V

The next morning, Kuro and his companions had indeed left at dawn to continue their journey, assuring that they hadn't left any traces of their campsite for anyone following them to find. The angel couldn't help but notice the aura of tension hanging over them, but he ignored it as he gripped his pack tight on his shoulder. As the foursome entered a village, Phosphora suddenly popped up next to him.

"So," she smiled at him, and he only stared back. "Is your brother as cute as you are?" He blinked, dumbfounded confusion evident on his face.

"Excuse me?" he blurted. "What kind of question is that?"

"I was just wondering!" she replied. "You seem to like the topic of your brother, so I figured I'd ask about him."

"And that was the best question you could think of." She frowned.

"Uh… I guess?" He rolled his eyes and looked forward again.

"In case you don't remember, I haven't seen Pit in over ten years. Chances are he looks something like me, but I don't know exactly. And I'm not cute. I do not want to be cute, and I will never be cute. Understand?"

"Jeez." She rubbed the back of her head and watched him curiously. "Alright, alright. Sorry." He sighed.

"If I can break in to this intriguing conversation," Magnus spoke up, "Keep your eyes open for anyone or anything that looks like they can tell us where we can find Medusa. This is pointless if we can't even get there."

"Yeah, yeah," Kuro grumbled as he scanned the small crowd around him, and ducked down once he saw a small group of soldiers.

"Kyah!" he whipped his head around at the sound of a scream and saw a woman staring at him, and her child seemed to be crying.

"There he is! That dark angel!" some one else called, and he sighed heavily.

"We've got trouble," Gaol realized as the soldiers turned their attention toward the small group, and they wasted no time in pursuing them as the townsfolk around them forced them into a corner.

"Look at those hideous wings!" someone jeered. "What could he have possibly done to stain them like that?" Kuro rolled his eyes again and snorted.

"That swordsman ain't human!" another called. "'e's a demon, that's what 'e is!"

"What?" Magnus grumbled. "Morons."

"And that girl betrayed the goddess of nature! They're a danger to us all! Who knows what they'll do next?" At this point, the soldiers had managed to break through the crowds and had them surrounded.

"Anyone have a plan?" Gaol inquired, and Magnus smiled.

"Break through like always," he replied. "That good with you two?"

"Sounds good," Kuro nodded, drawing his swords, and Phosphora cracked her fingers and set her battle stance.

"This is just what I need," she grinned. "I was getting bored."

"Mistress Viridi wants them captured!" one of the soldiers ordered. "If even one of them escapes, you'll be facing punishment!"

"Whatever." Phosphora shot forth a long bolt of lightning that managed to knock two of their opponents down before they had a chance to attack, and Magnus followed up with his sword and smashed another to the side. Gaol drew forth her sword and she and Kuro sprinted forward through the opening with their companions following. The sight of weapons scared off the townsfolk, and no one attempted to get in their way. On the other hand, not all were complete cowards, and Kuro ducked as a rock nearly hit his head.

"Get moving!" Magnus ordered. "I'll hold 'em off. Go!"

"I'll help," Gaol told him and fell back with him. Kuro slashed his blade through a reinforcement, and he fell to his knees as he clutched the wound. Another fell at the strike of lightning courtesy of Phosphora, and she caught up to his side.

"Guess it's you and me, angel boy! Let's move!"

"Right," he nodded and they sprinted forth, and Kuro squinted his eye in pain as one of his assailants managed to cut a gash in his arm.

"Hey!" He looked up at the call and found a young man waving them over. "Over here!" Kuro exchanged a quick glance with Phosphora, and they complied. The youth led them down a narrow alley and into the run down remains of what looked like a home. Kuro hunched over, bracing his arms on his knees, as he panted. The youth looked out the entrance for a moment before breathing a sigh of relief.

"Looks clear," he announced and turned back to them. "Wait here. I'll be right back." Before either of them could protest, he was gone, leaving them alone.

"Who the heck was that?" Phosphora wondered, and Kuro didn't have an answer as she turned to him. "What a weird- whoa, Kuro!"

"What?" She picked up his arm and pointed at his injury. "Oh, that."

"That looks a little nasty," she remarked. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he pulled his arm back and pulled his bandages out of his pack, wrapping them around the wound. "I'm fine. What about you?"

"I feel a little drained," she replied with a small smile. "But I'll be fine if I don't have to keep shooting lightning at anybody."

"Guess we'll see," he said, and a moment later the youth returned with Magnus and Gaol following. "Hey, you guys alright?"

"A little scraped up, but nothing I can't handle," Magnus announced. "Gaol? You unharmed?"

"I'm fine," she replied with a smile. "Thanks." With that, she turned to the youth, and Kuro had a chance to look at him clearly. He was awfully pale, like he hadn't seen the sun in years, and his eyes were red with hints of violet. He had silver hair with an odd flip near its part, and he smiled warmly. "So, who are you? Why'd you help us?"

"I know you want to fight Medusa," he said simply. "Hence why those guards were after you, not to mention the driven look in this one's eyes." He gestured toward the angel. "Fighting her will be no small task. I hope you understand that."

"We do," Magnus nodded. "But what's it to you?"

"I can't help you challenge her," the youth continued, "But I can, at least, point you in the right direction. Do you have a map?" Gaol pulled one from her pack and laid it out on a table, one of the few things still standing in the home. The youth swept his gaze over it and pointed to a small mountain range. "Here. There's a rock bridge connecting the cliff sides, then follow the path you come across through the valley. Once you reach the end, you'll find the entrance to the cavern where she can be found."

"How do you know all this?" Phosphora wondered with her arms crossed, and the youth turned his red-violet gaze on her.

"Research," he said simply. "Exploration. I've been there myself, though never actually inside. But I know it's there. And I also know that the goddess of light guards it as well. If you mean to fight Medusa, then you may have to challenge her as well. Understand?" They nodded. "Then you'd best be on your way before the guards find you."

"Alright," Magnus dipped his head as Gaol rolled the map back up. "Thanks." The youth nodded as the four began to depart, and Kuro brought up the rear. He stopped, however, as he suddenly heard a name that belonged to him yet hadn't been used by anyone but his parents in years. He turned back around and faced their aide.

"How do you know that?" he demanded, and the youth smiled.

"I know a lot more than you're probably willing to give me credit for," he replied. "Now, tell me. Is there anything that could possibly sway you from facing Medusa?" Kuro shook his head. "I didn't think so. I hope you find Pit alive. And… know this, alright? If you face Medusa, then we'll meet again very soon." Kuro blinked and stared at him.

"Great, alright," he shrugged. "See you around, then." He ducked out of the crumbling home and found the rest of his group waiting for him.

"Hurry up, angel!" Gaol called. "We gotta go!"


	6. Part VI

After several days of traveling, the small team realized that the youth who'd given them directions had failed to mention the lack of towns and cities approaching the mountains. Save a few bandit-infested ghost towns, they hadn't come across anything and their supplies were quickly dwindling.

"If we don't get there in the next day or so, we'll need to turn back," Magnus was saying as they all looked at the map.

"Uh, guys?" Phosphora tapped Kuro's shoulder, and he looked up to find her pointing forward. He followed her gesture and found a rock bridge a short distance ahead of them, and rising mountains behind it with a small valley path snaking between them. He blinked.

"I guess we're here," he said, and the others nodded.

"Alright. If what that kid said is true, then there's not much between here and there," Magnus recalled. "We'd better get it together now. From what it sounds like, we're gonna be dealing with two battles back to back- the goddess of light before we go directly to Medusa. We won't have time to rest and recover, probably all we'll have is a chance to regroup."

"So don't totally spend yourselves in the first fight," Gaol agreed. "Otherwise, we'll have no chance against Medusa." By the look on her face, Kuro could only wonder if she thought they had a chance in the first place.

"Well, if you've got any last words, say 'em now," Magnus chuckled. "We ready to go?"

"Even if we aren't, there's really no point in turning back," Kuro grumbled, and Magnus nodded.

"What about you, Phosphora? You good?"

"Of course!" she winked. "Let's just get this over with so I can fry that stupid dark goddess." She started across the bridge with the other three following, and Kuro felt his heart hammering in his chest. Gaol must have either heard it or noticed how agitated he felt, and she fell into step beside him as they started through the valley.

"You okay?" she wondered, and he didn't immediately reply.

"I don't know," he finally said. "I mean… this is it. I haven't seen Pit in over a decade, and he may not even be alive. Up until now, I could at least hope, but… if it turns out that I'm too late…" He felt a lump form in his throat and forced it back down. "Then what was the point of me coming?"

"What if he's still alive and you didn't come?" she pointed out. "Try not to be so negative, Kuro. Just look forward, alright? Focus on what's in front of you, and you'll be fine. Believe your brother is alive unless you have sure proof that you're wrong." He nodded.

"Okay. Thanks, Gaol. How do you do it?" She smiled and laughed a bit.

"I've been in some rough situations myself, even almost killed Magnus over there, once." He blinked. "It wasn't really my doing, but… well, we've clashed and he saved me." Her smile softened as she looked at her companion. "Since that day, he vowed to protect me no matter what cost, and I'll always be grateful."

"Must be nice," he mumbled. "To have someone who'll always have your back."

"I'm sure Pit would have had your back," she assured him. "Just as you have his, right?" He nodded.

"Alright guys, shut up!" Magnus barked at them as the mountains' shadows shrouded them. "We're almost there, so keep it down."

"I doubt we have much of an element of surprise," Phosphora pointed out. "I bet Palutena already knows we're here. It's more of a question of how much of a welcoming party she'll have for us."

"Palutena?" Gaol echoed.

"The goddess of light," Phosphora explained. "Sorry. Forgot that none of you knew her name."

"I've heard it," Kuro replied. "It was her soldiers that took Pit. Let's just get in there so I can give her a piece of my mind." He unsheathed his swords and picked up his pace with the rest of the group following suite, and it wasn't long before they reached a rather menacing cavern that yawned at them. Strangely, there was a soft blue glow from inside, almost as if they came from the rocks themselves, lighting a bumpy path leading down. Kuro took a deep breath and didn't release it for some time as he entered, not waiting to see if his companions were following. He picked up his pace and nearly tripped on the downward slope, jamming his toes on a rock at one point, but he ignored it and grit his teeth as he went on.

"Hey, Kuro!" He heard Magnus call, "Wait up!" Kuro did indeed stop, but only because he found a woman standing a short distance away from him with her back turned to him. She held a staff in one hand with a shield on the other, and her long green hair fluttered in the gentle breeze passing through the cave. He heard her sigh heavily, and his grip on his blades tightened.

"I was truly hoping you wouldn't come," she said as she turned toward him, and her soft gaze met his burning eyes. "Should I call you Kuro? That seems to be what you're most comfortable with now."

"Shut up!" he barked, readying his weapons. "Where's Pit?!"

"He's here," she replied. "I will not lie to you. You know he's here, don't you? There's no reason for you to doubt that." Her grip on her staff tightened as well. "But I cannot allow him to leave. He is what stands between the earth and its demise. Don't you know that, Kuro? Why didn't you listen to your elders?"

"Enough!" he shouted. "I'm not here to talk to you. If you won't let me pass, then I'll just cut you down." She lowered her head for a moment.

"So, this is Palutena," Gaol realized as she came up behind the angel.

"Too bad we gotta fight a goddess," Magnus sighed. "Let alone two." Palutena's gaze scanned over them.

"Humans, your life span is short as it is. Why would you waste it now?"

"Because I'm not going to live a life that someone else has to die for," Gaol replied. "This cycle has to end. You're the goddess of light, aren't you? Do something about it!"

"This is my doing something about it," Palutena informed them. "This is the best compromise I could make with Medusa. I had no other choice than to let the world be destroyed." She took a deep breath. "I will fight you, all four of you. I will end your lives if I must. But I will not give chase if you retreat. You may go and live another day."

"Do what you want with them," Kuro growled, "But I'm not leaving without Pit. I don't know who you gods pray to, but you'd better start now!"

"Kuro!" Magnus called as he sprinted forward, slashing through a sudden form that had appeared at Palutena's will. "Ugh. Alright, ladies. He's gonna need backup."

"On it," Phosphora shot forth her lightning and destroyed several other forms, and both Magnus and Gaol charged forward with blades ready to bleed. One of Kuro's swords hit Palutena's shield, cracking it slightly, and she pushed him back with her staff before following up with a blast of light magic that knocked him back. He skidded across the stone floor and recovered his balance, launching off his back foot and managing to slash across her side as his other blade hit her staff, and their eyes met briefly before the again forced him back, and he landed with a thud in a daze for several moments.

In the haze of his mind, he could see his companions struggling with the forces Palutena was summoning to aid her, and it almost seemed that they were losing.

_Pit… _he called out in his mind, but, of course, there was no answer as he tried to collect himself back to a state in order to fight. Pit was probably dead, having suffered for so many years at Medusa's hand, praying and pleading with everything he could muster so the world could survive. For sun, for rain, for the rich, for the poor… And somehow, he heard Palutena like a far off echo.

"Please sing…" Of course. That was a way Pit performed his duties, was it not? He entertained Medusa to the best of his ability. And if she was begging him to continue…

Then he had to be alive.

Kuro's eyes snapped open and he pulled himself to his feet, gripping the bloody wound on his shoulder from where he had landed. Blood trickled down and threatened to blind his eye, but he ignored it and Palutena stared at him in shock as he faced her once more.

"H-How?" she demanded softly, but was quickly preoccupied with Gaol as she attacked the goddess.

"Go!" Gaol all but ordered. "Get moving! Find your brother and get him out of here. We'll handle this." He hesitated for a moment, but nodded his thanks and sprinted past Palutena and her guards, coming to a cliff. He sheathed his swords and wasted no time in leaping off, spreading his wings to control his fall as best he could. He landed on his feet and raced on, coming to an inner cavern.

If Pit where anywhere, he would be there.

"Pit!" Kuro gasped, relief crashing over him as his eyes watered and he reached out for his brother.


	7. Part VII

Sure enough, it was Pit. After weeks, months, of searching, hoping, despairing, bleeding, breaking, Kuro had finally found him within this darkness lit by the pale blue light of the stone surrounding them. He had finally found the one person who had kept him going, even as his body protested, perhaps saved him from the reapers' grip on more than one occasion by purely giving him the drive to go on. The hope to go on. He would have done anything, destroyed all life on the planet, if it meant getting his brother back alive.

Perhaps his hope had been a lie, simply a way he could keep himself going. His tears changed their catalyst in his heart, from overwhelming joy and relief to fear.

"Pit!" he cried out again, but Pit didn't respond. The brown-haired angel lay collapsed on his front side, his wings drooping over his shoulders, and as Kuro raced over to him, he saw blood on the stone beneath him, staining his white robe, spots of it near his mouth and on his hands. Kuro felt his heartbeat escalate and knelt down at his brother's side, rolling him over gently and propping him up in his arms. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly agape, and he didn't appear to be breathing.

"Pit, come on!" Kuro begged, shaking him gently. "Wake up! Open your eyes… Damn it, Pit! Wake up!" As he attempted to prod his brother to wake, he heard what sounded like a sick, menacing laugh from somewhere in the shadows. But his mind was preoccupied with other things, and he wasn't worried about who or what it was coming from. Kuro took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes scanning over Pit's face and body for any sign of life.

This was his brother, he realized. Pit had certainly grown and his hair had gotten longer, but Kuro recognized the same face he saw when he looked in a mirror.

"Pit…" he mumbled again. "I told you to wait for me. Don't be a hypocrite. Don't leave me alone…" But again, there was no response. Kuro sighed, shutting his eyes, and, carefully, adjusted himself to lean his ear to Pit's chest. And his eyes flew open as he listened, and he ceased his breathing again. It was slow, shallow, and weak, but it was there.

His heart was beating.

"Pit!" Kuro shook him again, pulling himself back up to observe his brother's face. "Oh, don't you dare bail on me now!" His eyes strayed down to a dark brown cord around Pit's neck, the feather it bore, and he blinked. Even after so long of being apart, they were brothers, even twins.

How deep did their connection run?

Kuro grasped his feather gently and pulled his brother close to him, shutting his eyes once more.

"Take my life," he mumbled. "Do whatever you have to. Just don't leave me alone." And, with that, something in him slipped away, weakened him. And it could have been his imagination, but he thought he felt Pit stir ever so slightly in his arms. He pulled him back gently, just as Pit opened his bright blue eyes and they watched each other for several moments. Despite the state he was in, Pit smiled weakly and raised his hand, and Kuro took hold of it gently.

"E-Ero…?" he said softly, and Kuro smiled even as his tears spilled once again.

"I'm here, Pit," he replied.

"…Wouldn't see you… again…" Pit leaned his head back as his shallow breath came and left, and his gaze lost focus. "But… you're here."

"I'm getting you out of here," Kuro said firmly. "I won't let you suffer anymore."

"No," Pit shook his head. "T-the goddess of darkness… I have to… pray… protect the world…" Kuro's mind blanked for a moment. This scene had played out several different ways in his head, but never quite like this. He'd always assumed Pit would be jumping at the chance to escape.

"Do you really have to?" he wondered, and Pit nodded. "Damn it, Pit! Look at yourself!"

"It doesn't matter," Pit turned his gaze back to his brother. "I… it's all I know."

"Then let me show you what's out there!" Kuro demanded. "Why are you protecting a world you know nothing about?"

"Y-You're out there," Pit smiled, and Kuro's heart panicked as he saw his brother's flickering gaze. "As long as you're here, it doesn't matter. I don't care what happens to me."

"How sweet," a venomous voice said sarcastically, and Kuro looked up to see a monstrous, female form emerge with snake entangled in her hair. He swallowed, and his grip on Pit's shoulder tightened as his brother attempted to get up- an attempt that failed.

"So, you're the goddess of darkness," Kuro realized. "You're Medusa."

"Indeed," Medusa smiled at him, and a chill ran down his spine. "And you're of no use to me. Get out of my sight."

"I'm not leaving," he growled. "Not without Pit." Despite his words, she only laughed at him.

"You'd trade the world for his life?" she inquired among her laughter. "How precious! Very well. Tell me this, cursed angel. What do you do with something that's become entirely useless?" She didn't give him a chance to answer. "You get rid of it. You've exhausted your use, Pit."

"P-Please, great goddess!" Pit begged, and he coughed somewhat violently. "I can still-"

"Silence!" she commanded, and he complied to Kuro's anger. "Worry not, you worthless scrap. Someone else will take your place. But your time is up."

"M-My lady…" Pit continued to protest, and Kuro grit his teeth.

"You lay even a finger on him, and I'll end you!" he yelled, his face flushing, and she simply smiled at him.

"If you're anything like your brother here, then you're weak, worthless, and a burden to both me and the world."

"But-" Pit again began to argue, but Kuro cut him off.

"Forget it, Pit. She's not going to listen." He sighed, and panic again overtook him as Medusa suddenly shot forth a sphere of dark energy. Kuro ducked over his brother and the blow hit his back, sending pain shooting through him. He panted for a moment as he attempted to collect himself, and his gaze met Pit's again. "Pit… why protect the world when you can get rid of the one you're protecting it from?" Pit let out a rough breath, possibly all he could muster for a short laugh.

"I-I can't… Ero, please… don't…" Kuro shook his head and drew one of his blades with his free hand.

"Promise me something," he said, and Pit looked up at him curiously. "Whatever happens, wherever we go, we're going together." He could see protest in Pit's eyes, but perhaps the brown-haired angel was simply too exhausted to argue.

"For eternity," he mumbled and turned his gaze back to Medusa. "T-then I'll fight… bring light to the land, true peace, a world where the goddess of darkness does not threaten its people…" To Kuro, it sounded like a prayer, and Medusa must have interpreted it the same way. Her single, monstrous eye stared at him in hatred.

"Pit, you little traitor! You-" But she screeched in pain as Kuro's blade pierced her abdomen, thrown fast and deadly from his hand. His glaring red eyes met hers as she hunched over, something resembling blood oozing from her wound. "H-How? One blade, so strong… Impossible."

"Light," Pit gasped, and he repeated the word as he struggled to stay awake. Kuro swallowed his fear.

"Hold on," he said quickly and drew his other blade, turning back toward Medusa. She had summoned up a dark power that made his hair stand on end, sent a chill through his body, and his gaze met hers once again.

"Go ahead," she challenged. "If you don't care for his life, then attack me." He bit his lip, his eyes burning with anger, until he looked down and saw Pit's hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

"Let light shine," he mumbled, and Kuro nodded as his eyes watered. He took a deep breath and propelled the blade forth with what strength he could call upon, grunting briefly with the effort. And, by some miracle, the blade pierced the goddess's- the monster's- heart. But, at the sign of his attack, she cast her last strike toward them. Kuro again twisted his body, shielding Pit from the blow at the expense of taking the full force of it upon himself. He couldn't stifle a cry of pain, even through his clenched jaw, and he felt his body shaking as he pulled himself back. Pit's eyes were glistening, but he was smiling even as blood managed to escape both their systems.

He looked over to Medusa's fallen form as it seemed to slowly dissipate in black smoke, and Kuro breathed a short sigh of relief.

"Th-thank you, Ero…" he said weakly, and Kuro turned to him with a fading mind. "You did what I couldn't… what no one could…"

"I couldn't have without you," he replied. "So… thank yourself too." Pit nodded slightly and leaned his head back, shutting his eyes.

"Now I can… rest in peace…" Alarm made itself known in Kuro's heart and mind despite his own state of being, even as he felt his own body failing him.

"N-None of that," he argued. "I'm getting you out of… of here…" Pit opened his eyes and smiled again.

"And you're coming with me," he replied, and Kuro nodded as he closed his eyes for the final time. And before Kuro could protest, his gaze faded to darkness and he felt the stone beneath them hit his injured shoulder once again. And he remained there with Pit still held in his arm as the last of his breath left his body.


	8. Part VIII- Epilogue

To their surprise, Palutena suddenly called off her forces and ceased her attacks. Magnus stared at her through one eye, the other squinted in pain from the injuries he'd sustained. He was arguably in the best shape of the three, with Phosphora injured but still standing and Gaol was dealing with a broken and bloody leg.

"Enough," Palutena said softly. "There's no point in fighting. Medusa has been killed." And Magnus continued to stare at her, stunned into silence.

"What do you mean she was killed?" Phosphora demanded. Palutena nodded.

"If you wish, go and see for yourself. I have no reason to stop you." The goddess seemed both relieved and upset, confusing Magnus further. But he let it go and made his way over to Gaol, scooping her up in his arms as she mumbled a quick "thanks" to him. Phosphora followed him as he walked over to the cliff Kuro had disappeared over, and a set of stairs suddenly illuminated.

"Go," Palutena urged, and he nodded to her before descending into the darkness below.

"Kuro?" Gaol called out, and her voice echoed around the cavern. There was no response. Magnus felt an foreboding chill creep down his spine, but he remained silent until he could confirm his fears.

In the middle of the cave they'd come to, Kuro and a white-winged angel both lay collapsed on the stone, and blood was splattered around them. Kuro's blades rested on the ground a short distance from them, bearing something that resembled blood. Magnus swallowed as Gaol cried out, and Phosphora hurried over to the fallen angels and prodded them both gently. Neither responded.

"No…" she mumbled. "Darn it, Kuro! Get up, will you? You're not allowed to die after all that stuff you spat at us!" She clenched her fists, fighting back tears. To their surprise, Palutena trudged slowly over to the angels and knelt down at Kuro's side.

"Pit, Ero… you both made such sacrifices for the sake of our world and each other." She shut her eyes as water dripped down her cheeks. "Never will there be a stronger bond than the one you shared."

"His real name was Ero?" Gaol wondered, and Palutena nodded.

"Derived from the name of a god attributed with love," she explained. "It's actually not uncommon among angels. Perhaps that's why he took the name 'Kuro,' because he felt like it represented him more." She sighed and moved her hand over his wings, and slowly lifted some sort of darkness from them until sparkling white feathers remained. "He didn't deserve such a curse… He was not acting out of rebellion, but of love for his twin. No such action should be punished like this." She remained silent as her visitors processed everything that had just occurred. "Attend me!" she called out, and an armored soldier showed up a moment later.

"What is it, milady?" he asked, and she turned to him.

"I want you to send word to Dealus and Ismene. Tell them that their sons gave their lives for the good of the world, and tell them that they assured that there will be no need for one to replace Pit." The soldier looked to the angels' bodies for a brief moment, then bowed quickly and headed out, and Palutena turned back to her visitors. "I wish to invite you to stay for a little while longer… if you wish to be with us when we say our final goodbyes." Magnus turned his head toward Gaol, and she nodded.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"I… gotta head back to Mistress Viridi," Phosphora spoke up, and it sounded like she was struggling to keep her voice level, and Palutena didn't immediately answer.

"Very well," she finally replied. "Please give her my best." Phosphora dipped her head and turned back toward the stairway they had come down.

Elsewhere, out in a small field in a village fitting its size, what at first appeared to be a man was working in his family's garden, tending to their harvest and inspecting the plants. He looked up, brushing his black hair out of his bright blue eyes, shielding them from the sunlight as his fully grown white wings rustled in the breeze. He swallowed a decade-old grief as he saw the soldiers approaching. And almost as if she'd been called, his wife, a female angel with long brown hair and green eyes, joined him a moment later.

"Dealus?" she beckoned, taking his hand. "What's wrong? You're white as a sheet." He found himself unable to speak, and he simply pointed toward the approaching soldiers. She fell silent, and her hand tightened around his.

"Sir Dealus! Miss Ismene!" one called out, but they said nothing else until they were only a few paces away from the couple. Both of the angels knew they would only see these soldiers for one reason after they had taken Pit away so long ago.

"No…" Ismene said almost silently. Dealus swallowed and faced the soldiers with unwavering eyes.

"Don't try to play with us," he said curtly. "What do you have to say to us?"

"I… er… we bear a message from the goddess of light," one replied. "Your sons have given their lives for the good of the world, and they have assured that there will be no need for anyone to replace Pit." Ismene grabbed her husband's arm with watering eyes.

"Ero!" she cried out. "Dealus, he probably hasn't heard about this. You have to go find him!" Dealus didn't reply, but only stared at the soldiers.

"P-Pardon, ma'am, but perhaps you didn't hear me," the soldier continued. "Both Pit and Ero gave their lives to assure that the goddess of darkness would no longer threaten our world." After a moment of letting the news sink in, Ismene cried out in anguish and fell to her knees, calling out her sons' names as her tears streamed from her eyes. Dealus knelt down next to her and pulled her into an embrace, she buried her face in his chest as she sobbed.

The soldiers waited patiently as they continued to grieve, and it was some time before Dealus stood again and pulled Ismene to her feet. He looked at them with shadowed eyes.

"Sir, ma'am, Lady Palutena has invited you to join her in her final farewell to both Pit and Ero… she sees it fitting that their bodies be cremated and their ashes released for the world to see. She deeply wishes for you to be present and to give you a chance to say your goodbyes to your children." Ismene wiped her eyes and looked to her husband, but he had no reason to think it over.

"Of course," he dipped his head. "We'll leave immediately." Ismene nodded in agreement, and they didn't wait for the soldiers as they spread their wings and took to the air with Palutena's messengers struggling to catch up.

When they finally arrived in the mountains, the sun was setting and they found two humans accompanying the goddess as she gazed off toward the horizon. The humans turned to them when they landed.

"Ah!" the female gasped a bit. "You… you must be Pit and Kuro- er, Ero's parents… right? Or am I mistaken?"

"No, that's right," Dealus agreed. "I am Dealus, and this is my wife Ismene. Who are you?"

"I'm Magnus," the other human introduced. "And this here is Gaol. We were traveling with Ero for a while to stop Medusa, but… well, he beat us to the punch." He frowned and sighed. "Sorry about your loss. I know a thing or two about losing a child."

"Let alone two," Gaol agreed. "I can't imagine what pain that must bring."

"Thank you," Ismene dipped her head. "For aiding our boys… I know Ero is incredibly stubborn- always has been. I can't imagine he'd travel with others very easily."

"He kind of distanced himself," Magnus told them. "And hardly ever agreed on anything. But he was a strong fighter, for sure. I don't think either of us could have beaten Medusa like he did."

"He wasn't alone." They turned to Palutena as she approached them. "No single one of you could have brought her down. But… Ero shared a strong bond with Pit, even spared him from the reapers for a short while longer." The goddess seemed distressed, even grief-stricken. "Strangely enough, Pit probably knew Medusa better than anyone. But he couldn't challenge her, needed someone else to. And Ero fit that role- someone with no ulterior motives, not tied to any side." She bowed her head. "He was the hero this world needed." With that, she looked to her visiting angels. "Dealus, Ismene, I'm deeply sorry for everything you've endured. I hope you'll find it in your hearts to one day forgive me." They didn't immediately reply.

"Only time will tell," Dealus admitted. "Lady Palutena, I do not wish to hate you. But I also can't ignore that you did take our son from us. I understand you had your reasons, but I am a father. I cannot let my son go so easily."

"I understand," she nodded. "Dealus, Ismene," she pulled forth the leather cords both Pit and Kuro had worn before, bearing their feathers- the only distinction between them being the color of the bead clasped over the feather itself. "Your sons kept these close as parts of their being. I wish to leave the decision of what to do with them to you. If you so desire, you may keep them as a token of your children, or you can return them to their owners for eternity." Dealus exchanged a quick look with his wife, and she stepped forward.

"I would gladly accept these," she replied with tears in her eyes. Palutena nodded, and Ismene bowed slightly as the goddess placed Pit's feather around her neck. Dealus then accepted Kuro's, and he grasped it tightly.

"Thank you, milady," he nodded again.

"Now…" Palutena turned toward a small setup nearby, prepared for the cremation. "If you wish to say goodbye to your sons, please come with me." The angels complied and followed her over to it, and she unveiled their bodies. Both Pit and Kuro, with their white wings resting neatly underneath them, were garbed in white robes with their hands folded over their abdomens.

"They look so peaceful," Ismene mumbled as she wiped her eyes again and placed her hand against Pit's cheek, wincing at the chill of his skin. "Pit… is this really you?"

"He has your nose," Dealus noticed. "Just like Ero. That's him… that's our little boy." Ismene's tears slid silently down her cheeks as she leaned down and kissed the brown-haired boy's forehead softly.

"My dear Pit… our time was so short…" She sighed heavily. "I hope your last moments were peaceful." She ran her hand through his hair for a moment before she turned to Kuro. "And you, my son… you finally washed yourself of your curse." She smiled a bit, but trembled as Dealus wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"If he could open his eyes, you would see that they're the same blue as Pit's," Palutena informed them. "I wish I could have seen him in his prime, the way he was meant to be." Ismene nodded as she placed her hand on Kuro's chest, and she then kissed his forehead briefly. "I'm so proud of you both…"

Palutena let the couple mourn and grieve as they saw fit for some time, but as the sun began to disappear behind the horizon, she spoke up once again.

"It's time to say your last goodbye," she said regretfully, and they did so before a soldier led them back to Magnus and Gaol and a duo of attendants began the process of cremating the angels' bodies under Palutena's supervision. Once the deed had been done, and with a heavy heart, she released their ashes with the blowing wind. She assured they were together, not one after another.

They would have wanted to be together. For eternity, just as Pit had said. Dealus and Ismene shed their share of tears in mourning their boys, and Gaol had joined them. As for Magnus, the goddess was sure he was grieving in his own way as she observed the quartet from higher up the mountain.

"It's a shame." She jumped at the sudden voice and turned around to find the same youth that had saved Kuro and his comrades from the soldiers some time before. "I had really hoped I could make it in time to see you release them."

"I'm afraid I wasn't aware you were coming," she replied, gripping her staff lightly. He smiled, but she could see the regret in his eyes. But he worked in ways mysterious even to her, and she could only wonder why he had come.

"Oh well. It's too bad they both died, but… well, I tried to warn Ero as best I could. I told him I'd see him again soon if he went through with the fight."

"You left it rather cryptic," she pointed out. "And I doubt he had any idea who you are." He shrugged.

"I suppose so," he agreed. "And if I'd been able to, I would have revived them. But Medusa did quite a bit of damage to their bodies. Even I couldn't have saved them."

"Wouldn't that have been bending the rules?" she inquired, and he smiled softly.

"You're talking about an angel who defied his elders since his youth and eliminated the goddess of darkness. If anyone was bending the rules, it was him." He chuckled a bit. "But I suppose I am as well. It's too soon for the world to be robbed of them." She watched him carefully, but said nothing. "I feel like I owe them a debt of thanks. So, if you'll excuse me," he bowed briefly, "I'd best be heading home." And with that, he disappeared in a wind of darkness, and Palutena turned back to the small group of angels and humans below, then turned her gaze up toward the horizon as her own tears fell silently and she bade farewell to her heroes.


End file.
